My friend Eelke and her boyfriend are both quite the entrepreneurs. He started the Borrel Keuken and she started the Snorrenfabriek. Great snacks and nice clothes. ‘Why not combine the two?’ they must have thought because last week they opened their collaborative store W50! And then they closed it again.

Why? Because other shopkeepers in the neighbourhood had complained to their blockowner about unfair competition. This is the risk you take when you’re located in a cheap place but they were very sad to hear it of course. Nonetheless they decided to have a three-hour-opening to show people how the store would look like and give them tips about other places. So if you know a location in Amsterdam that would be interesting in hosting such a nice pop-up place, please let them know!

Last week this years Foam Lab organized their last event: Pics or it didn’t happen. It was held in Museum van Loon, which is located just on the other side of the canal than Foam. Museum van Loon is a beautiful house with amazing rooms. During the event you had to enter four rooms which each had a different theme, make pictures with your mobile and share it with the world.

Rosa, Eelke and I decided to have dinner together at Panini, a very nice italian restaurant. Fenna joined us for dessert.

I had a delicious pasta.

It was already quite dark when we arrived at museum van Loon.

As you can see I haven’t figured out how to make good pictures in dark places. Well, at least it does gives some fancy effects.

Over the years that I’m writing this blog, I’ve received a lot of questions about nice places in Amsterdam. Although it’s quite a small city, there’s so much to do and I’m not up-to-date about everything but I’ll tell you something about my favourite places in town! Unfortunately I don’t know anything regarding to hotels or hostels but it’s really nice to know a local who can show you around so I’d recommend Couchsurfing or AirBNB.

I divided this list into four categories: culture, eating, shopping and nightlife. For now it’s not completed yet, especially the cultural part but these are the places I visit most. If you want some more tips about the museums in Amsterdam, you should visit the n8 blog. Only in Dutch though. The best way to explore the city is definitely by bike. Besides is the best transport, it’s also the best way to ‘feel’ Amsterdam. Even if you’re only in town for a day, renting a bicycle will save you a lot of public transport money and waiting time. Trust me, it’s worth it! Be careful though on the streets, people from Amsterdam can be quite rude in traffic jams but remember, we still love you <3

Culture

Foam
Keizersgracht 609
Foam is the photography museum in Amsterdam and the place I’ve worked for a year. I think it’s a great museum because it shows a lot of diversity, it’s not that big so you’ll be finished in one or two hours and because I really enjoy photography. I did the Foam Lab project, we organized events for youngsters so if you’re in town, check their Facebook and see if they organize an event!

Eye
Ijpromenade 1
Eye cinema just opened their new building on the other side of the IJ and it’s really great. They have several, really big cinema’s and an exhibition area. You can also lunch or have dinner in the restaurant. If you’re interested in cinema, you can’t miss this place during your stay in Amsterdam!

Vondelpark
The Vondelpark is the backyard for a lot of Amsterdammers. We usually live in small houses with only a small, tiny balcony so when the sun shines we pack our stuff and move to the Vondelpark. During the summer they host a lot of performances in the open air theater.

The Movies
Haarlemmerdijk 161
The Movies is one of the best cinemas in town. It’s one of the oldest and it has a great vibe. You can also eat here or have some drinks but you have to make reservations because it can be really busy.

If you want to visit more museums you should definitely go to the Rijksmuseum, Van Goghmuseum and Stedelijk Museum, all located at the museumsquare.

Eating

Addis Ababa
Overtoom 337
This is definitely one of my favourite restaurants in Amsterdam. I love Ethiopian food and the fact that you eat from one big plate with everyone. Because not everyone is comfortable eating with your hands and share your food with others you should go with your closest friends or family!

Noorderlicht
Tt. Neveritaweg 33
I love to go to this place because you’ve got to travel by ferry. It’s located at the NDSM dock which is quite an industrial area. The food they serve is so super good, really delicious! On a sunny day, you can sit outside and enjoy the view over the IJ. Otherwise you can just relax on the couch inside. They organize some events as well, mostly during summer.

Winkel
Noordermarkt 43
My favourite pie is applepie and the best place to get applepie is definitely Winkel. It’s located in the Jordaan, which is a great neighborhood to wander around. On monday morning you’ll find a market here where you can shop some nice vintage clothes or furniture.

Hanneke’s Boom
Dijksgracht 4
If you want to eat here, you should definitely make some reservations because it can be really crowded. I’ve never had dinner here but it’s a great place for drinks as well. The food is apparently very, very good, all made from organic vegetables. Outside you can sit and have a nice view over the water.

Wilhelmina
Eerste Helmersstraat 83-A
This is great for a cup of coffee or a lunch break. It’s in the best area of Amsterdam -where I live- and the food is truly nice.

T
Roetersstraat 4
A very cute place for a cup of tea -T- with a piece of carrot cake. You can also order breakfast, lunch or a high tea.

Pizzabakkers
Overtoom 501
This is the best pizza place I know. Their pizzas are truly delicious and that’s coming from someone who’s not particularly fond of pizzas. I do have to tell you that they don’t have the fastest service so it’s not the best place for a quick bite.

Sumo
Vijzelstraat 26
In Amsterdam, you’ll find a lot of sushi restaurants who offer the all-you-can-eat menu. Since I’m a big fan of sushi I tried a lot of them out but Sumo is the one I like the most.

Burgermeester
Albert Cuypstraat 48
If you’re into burgers, this is the place for you! Their burgers are the best I’ve ever tasted, made from biological meat. I always choose the three small burgers because you can try out different ones because I can never choose just one.

Bakkerswinkel
Polonceaukade 2
Great for breakfast or lunch! They serve the best bread and have the cutest menu. I can sit here easily for a few hours. Though be careful, it can be quite crowded over here.

Frascati Cafe
Marius van Bouwdijk Bastiaansestraat 54
So I only discovered this place yesterday because it’s right behind my house and I’ve never felt the need going inside because I could easily drink at home as well. Though, yesterday we decided to take a look and it’s really, really nice. Great drinks and the food looked amazing as well.

Shopping

Laura Dols
Wolvenstraat 7
This is one of the best vintage shops in Amsterdam if you’re looking for a prom dress or some designer vintage. If you walk downstairs you arrive in dress heaven! Definitely a must for every vintage lover.

Episode
Berenstraat 1
This vintage shop sells lots of sweaters, leather skirts, 50’s dresses and mini Levi shorts. It’s not particularly cheap for vintage but they have a huge collection so there’s always a catch to find.

Time machine
Nieuwe Hoogstraat 27
I love this small vintage shop near damsquare. They have an enormous amount of vintage boots and as I really like vintage shoes I come here quite often. On the other side of the street you’ll find more vintage shops with lots of clothing.

COS
Hartenstraat 23
Great store in the nice area of the ‘negen straatjes’. I really like the brand COS though I’m not particularly fond of this store as it is really small. So I won’t recommend you to go on a Saturday but any other day is perfect.

American Apparel
Utrechtsestraat 85
Last week I was talking about what would be my favourite store and I think it’s American Apparel. Every time I visit this store I bring something home. I really like their style, for daily wear but I also like to buy my cloths for danceclass here.

&Klevering
Haarlemmerstraat 8
Best store in the city for great gifts! They have the best design mugs, plates and have a lot of great cooking books.

IJ-hallen
T.T. Neveritaweg 15

Once a month there is a huge flea market at the NDSM dock. You should come really early if you want to do some serious shopping. The entrance costs 4 euros but the prices are usually very, very cheap. You can find clothes, old cameras, prints, vinyl, toys and even chairs and tables here.

Wini
Haarlemmerstraat 29
Another vintage store, located on the other side of &klevering. They have a small collection but with the finest items. Come here for dresses and skirts! They have a small rack of men clothes but it’s mostly women.

I Love Vintage
Prinsengracht 201
Great store for all lovers of the retro style. They sell a lot of (new) clothes and jewelry in 40s-50s-60s style. It is actually a webshop but they have opened a store as well.

Urban Outfitters
Kalverstraat 31-33
Amsterdam finally got an Urban Outfitters! This is one of my favourite stores when I visit Antwerp or London and it is great that I don’t have to travel that far anymore.

Nightlife

Paradiso
Weteringschans 6
This is one of the best known music venues in Amsterdam. It’s located in an old church and has hosted artists like Joy Division, Arcade Fire, the Rolling Stones and Jamiroquai. If you’re into pop music you should definitely check their agenda if you come to Amsterdam. They also host a lot of club nights which I used to visit quite often during my college time.

Melkweg
Lijnbaansgracht 234 /A
This is another great music venue with a lot of club nights and concerts. They also have an exhibition area and host cultural events as well like dance performances.

OT301
Overtoom 301
This is the formal residence of the Film Academy and when the building was abandoned for quite some time, it was taken over by a few artists. Nowadays they host a lot of cultural activities like exhibitions, cinema, bands and club nights. I usually visit this place to listen to nice bands.

Pacific Parc
Polonceaukade 23
A nice cafe slash restaurant slash bar in the Westerpark area. You should check their website for events and dancing nights!